Short stories, poems, book reviews, travelogues and everything that touches the heart.

Sunday, 10 July 2016

My child healthy child

The
day my daughter was born should have been the happiest day in my
life. Unfortunately it wasn’t. Not because I was expecting a male
child. But because the doctor told my baby was underweight. ‘You
will realize once you become a parent.’ My mother would tell me all
the time. I never took her words very seriously. But that day I
realized what she was saying. My heart went out for my tiny one who
was now kept in newborn intensive care unit. Her fragile skin was
pierced so many times. Sometimes for giving injections. Sometimes for
taking out blood samples.

Will
my baby grow properly? Will she gain weight? Will she ever look like
those cute chubby kids which I saw in advertisements? The mind kept
on playing all sorts of games. So
who can be better person than me to voice opinion as to how important
it is for the child to catch up the lost growth.

‘Wait
for a month. Your baby will be normal.’ Were the consoling words of
the doctor. Not only that doctor but even my aunt who is a
gynecologist assured me that all will be well in a month. ‘The baby
will gain 20 grams weight each day.’ She had told me. ‘Will she
catch up on the lost growth?’ I asked. ‘Yes of course.’ Was the
reply.

But
will ever a parent’s child will be content with the assuring words
of the doctor. No, not at all. Until the parent sees his child making
up for the lost growth, gaining enough weight, achieving all the
landmarks on time, he will not be convinced with the words of the
doctor which may be scientific and even backed by experience.

I
had tears in my eyes when the doctor told me that my baby was gaining
weight. Though the weight gain was abysmal. But as a parent it was a
comforting thought that she wasn’t left behind. She was catching up
with other children. With every passing day she gained weight. She
was the first one to turn on sides amongst the children of her age,
most of them were well rounded babies of my relatives and friends.
Soon she surpassed them in everything. She was the first one to
crawl. The first one to walk and the first one to talk.

Now
I am the happiest person on the earth. My daughter is no way left
behind. She is physically and mentally sound. Good nutrition,
positive thinking and help of the caregivers are the one who are to
be thanked for her healthy growth. Now that my baby has covered up
all that she missed and is growing properly a huge burden has been
lifted from my chest. I feel relieved. Now that she has covered all
the growth which she had lost, I am relaxed. Now I am able to enjoy
all the happy moments of parenthood. Those missed moments when the
doctor told me that I had become a father albeit that of an
underweight baby. Thank you everybody for being a part of my journey.
I reiterate that it is very important for a child to catch up on lost
growth.

About Me

Mahesh Sowani is a writer, poet, book reviewer, speaker and a legal professional. He holds masters degrees in Law and Management. He has also passed the National Eligibility test conducted by the University Grants Commission. He was a faculty member for Master of Laws course at University of Mumbai. He has keen interest in yoga, meditation, English literature and financial management. Many of his writings have been published in leading English and Marathi publications like Hindustan Times, Outlook Traveller,Writer's enzine, Sniffers, Reviews, Maharashtra Times, Yuva Sakaal, Kalnirnay etc. His writings have been published on websites like adviceadda.com. He writes on his blog https://maheshsowani.blogspot.inMany of his writings have been conferred titles and prizes by blogadda.com, indiblogger.in and mouthshut.com. His writings have been a part of the short story anthology "Love stories around us" and collection of poems "Winged Hearts."